Chapter 3 She Had It All

Wendy's elegance and sophistication came from wealth and privilege. By comparison, Kaia had nothing. The Larsons gave her neither love nor financial support yet blamed her for not being polished enough. Even now, she couldn't fathom why they had taken her in. Her only role in the family was to serve as a contrast, highlighting just how cherished Wendy, the fake heiress, truly was. People said the unloved were the real outsiders, and nothing fit her situation more perfectly. There was a time when their injustice would've wounded her deeply. Now, she barely even felt it. Kaia scanned the storage room. The only thing she could wear was that blue-and-white high school uniform. Five years ago, she received an acceptance letter from Crelor's most prestigious university, Crystalia University. However, her parents, Benedict Larson and Amethyst Parker, threw an extravagant party to celebrate Wendy's acceptance. All of Valoria's elite were in attendance. At 18, Wendy stood between Benedict and Amethyst, draped in a custom-made princess gown worth millions. A diamond-encrusted crown perched atop her head. She shone like a true princess amid the adoring guests. Meanwhile, Kaia—dressed in shabby, outdated clothes—resembled an ugly duckling lost among swans. Under the stunned gaze of the crowd, the police escorted her away, and she spent the next five years behind bars. She was stripped of the university life that should have been hers. … Five minutes later, Kaia, now fully dressed, headed toward the banquet hall of the Larson residence. Helpers passed by, shooting her curious looks. "Who is she? Why is she wearing a high school uniform?" "Probably a waitress from Splendora Hotel. Looks like some high schooler picking up a summer job." "Mr. Benedict and Mrs. Larson must really spoil Ms. Wendy. They even brought in the Splendora Hotel's head chef to throw this celebration for her." "Tell me about it." One of the helpers stopped beside Kaia and said, "The party's about to start. Go change into the standard uniform, and stay sharp while serving. Everyone here today's a big name in Valoria." With that, they walked off. Kaia stood frozen, suddenly unwilling to step into the banquet hall. Samuel had only told her that Benedict and Amethyst were throwing a welcome party. He hadn't mentioned that outsiders were also invited. Getting out of prison wasn't exactly something to celebrate. So why make such a spectacle out of it? Back then, she'd been handcuffed and hauled away in front of all Valoria's elite. And now, they were throwing a grand affair, parading an ex-convict home before the same elite crowd. To Kaia, this felt less like a welcome and more like a spectacle meant to expose her shame and peel away what little dignity she had left. A bitter ache rose in her chest, laced with anger. She couldn't stand to stay another second and turned away. But Samuel strode toward her, his face twisting in disgust the moment he saw her outfit. He picked up his pace, scowling as he barked at her. "Didn't I tell you to dress properly? Why did you show up like this? Do you even know what kind of event this is?" Kaia started to explain, but Samuel cut her off without a second thought. "First, you come back from prison acting like you're better than everyone, and now you're putting on this 'poor me' show, trying to make it seem like the Larsons mistreated you. "You never change, Kaia. You're hopeless." He reached for her arm. "Go change your clothes. Don't embarrass us." Kaia slipped out of his reach. With his hands empty, Samuel's fury flared. "How dare you slip away from me?" Kaia locked eyes with him. The hatred in his gaze was all too familiar. She had endured that same contemptuous, impatient glare for three long years under the Larsons' roof. Every time, an invisible force seemed to tear her heart apart. Tears would fill her eyes, but all she ever received was his cold reply, "Stop faking it." Maybe Kaia had gotten used to looks like that. Or maybe five years in prison had stripped her of her pride. Now, she felt nothing when Samuel's disgusted eyes met hers. Neither his love nor his hatred stirred anything in her anymore. Kaia raised her gaze to meet his, her expression calm and detached, her eyes showing neither submission nor defiance. "I don't have a gown," she said. Samuel's anger flared up. "Why didn't you just get one?" Kaia took a deep breath. Samuel's prejudice against her ran too deep to overcome. No matter what she said, he would never believe her anyway. She had tried explaining in the past. But the more she defended herself, the more he assumed she was hiding something, and the more ruthlessly he wronged her. A wave of helplessness washed over her. She no longer had the energy to explain. "I don't have the money," she said flatly. Samuel's brow creased deeply, his anger burning so fiercely in his chest that he could no longer contain it. "You had everything you needed during the three years you lived with us. Additionally, the company deposits half a million dollars into your account each month. That adds up to 18 million dollars over three years. "Wasn't that enough for you to at least dress decently? But you still chose to wear cheap rags as if you were trying to make it look like the Larsons treated you like dirt. "Kaia, seriously, stop being so selfish. You've thrown your tantrum, and we've already given you what you're owed. This has dragged on long enough. You're just being dramatic if you keep pushing!" Kaia had expected this. No matter what she said, she would always be met with distrust. She locked eyes with Samuel, her gaze sharp and unyielding. There was something about it that struck a pang of guilt in him. "What's with the look? I didn't say anything wrong." He wasn't wrong? Please, Kaia thought, scoffing inwardly. She hadn't intended to cause a scene, but Samuel's unrelenting hostility sparked a bitter defiance in her. Something caught her attention—someone was drawing closer. If they were going to cause a scene, she'd make sure it was unforgettable. Her dignity was already in ruins. What more did she have to lose? She wondered if Samuel, so obsessed with appearances, could handle being publicly humiliated. "I've never seen a single dime from the finance department—not half a million, not even 50 dollars. If you're going to accuse me of something, Mr. Larson, at least make it sound believable." Samuel's gaze hardened with more disdain as he stared at Kaia. "You won't admit it unless you're forced to, huh, Kaia? "Fine. You've got no choice now. Don't say I didn't warn you." With that, he pulled out his phone, dialed the finance department, and put it on speaker. "Check how much the company deposits into Kaia's account monthly." A hesitant voice came through the speaker. "Kaia? You mean Ms. Kaia Larson, right?" "Yes." "Mr. Larson, we don't need to look it up if it's Ms. Kaia." Samuel frowned. "What do you mean by that?" "Actually, the finance department has never sent any money to Ms. Kaia's account." "What did you just say?" Samuel could barely believe what he was hearing. No matter how unwelcome Kaia was, she was still a Larson. Of course, she would have an allowance. The night Kaia came home, he met with Benedict and Amethyst in the study to decide how much allowance she should get. They decided to give Kaia the same allowance as Wendy—half a million dollars a month—to avoid any hint of favoritism. Samuel could not have remembered it wrong. "Didn't we already talk about this?" "Mr. Larson, weren't you aware? Mrs. Larson said Ms. Kaia came from an orphanage, a place that tends to narrow a person's perspective. Unsavory influences surrounded her, and handing her half a million dollars all at once could have easily led her astray. "Besides, Ms. Kaia was still in high school back then. She had everything she needed at the Larson residence. Since she didn't need to spend money, her allowance was canceled..." Samuel's mind buzzed in disbelief as he listened. Canceled? So Kaia hadn't seen a single cent in the three years she'd lived at the Larson residence. "By the way, Mrs. Larson raised Ms. Wendy's monthly allowance from half a million to one million dollars. She mentioned that with Ms. Kaia back, she was worried Ms. Wendy might be upset. "The extra half a million was intended to compensate for it. I would assume you knew about this?" Samuel felt as if someone had gripped him by the throat, leaving him struggling for air. He had no idea.